Multi-Directional Structural Joint

ABSTRACT

A multi-directional structural joint for interconnecting the ends of tubular structural pipes that includes rigid perpendicularly intersecting planar plates the peripheral edges of which include a plurality of radially projecting connecting stubs for securing the terminal ends of tubular structural members.

This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application, Ser. No. 13/213,317, entitled Multi-Directional Structural Joint, filed Aug. 19, 2011 and claims the priority benefit of said application Ser. No. 13/213,317, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §120.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a joint for interconnecting tubular structural members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tubular elements or pipes have advantages over other structural forms because of the load-transmitting qualities inherent in their circular cross section and their efficient strength to weight ratio. In the past the failure to employ them extensively in the construction of walls, trusses and truss-like structures was due to the lack of suitable connectors or coupling members for easily and efficiently joining their ends, especially when producing three dimensional frameworks. The object of the present invention is to provide a universal connection joint that enables quick, easy and efficient construction of tubular frameworks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The multi-directional universal structural joint of the present invention includes a base member that comprises intersecting perpendicular planar plates that support on their peripheral edges a plurality of radially disposed connector studs that are adapted for insertion into the hollow interior of tubular structural framing members (pipes) in either a planar or a three dimensional framework. The joint acts to interconnect a plurality of the tubular framing members in order to form a framework for any purpose, but is particularly suited for forming building walls and roof structures for emergency or temporary types of shelter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary first embodiment form of the connection joint of the present invention having five stud connectors and where the connectors are cylindrical.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the joint of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the joint of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the joint of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a modified version of the connection joint where portions of the base plates have been removed to form a corner joint having appropriate points of connection for structural tubing. One of the studs is shown with a fragmentary end portion of the pipe to which the stud in connected. The pipe, and its connection to the stud, is typical of all pipe and stud interconnections in the cylindrical stud version of the joint of the present invention. The cross section is taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 5B.

FIG. 5A is an end view of the embodiment of FIG. 5.

FIG. 5B is a cross sectional view of the tubular element shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a fourth exemplary embodiment of the joint where a portion of each base plate has been removed where the connecting requirement is only for a reduced number of stud connection points.

FIG. 6A is an end view of the embodiment of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is a detailed plan view of an exemplary framework utilizing the connection joint of the present invention to interconnect tubular structural elements in the horizontal and vertical planes.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an exemplary structural framework utilizing tubular tension and compression members that are interconnected by the structural joint of the present invention. The dotted lines outline the portion of the structure that is shown in detail in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one base plate of a second embodiment of the structural joint where the connecting studs are planar instead of being cylindrical.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the second embodiment where the two base plates are interconnected in the same fashion as the base plates of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a front view of the assembled joint where a portion of one of the base plates of the joint has been removed to accommodate the requirements of the structure. The structural pipe members are shown fragmentarily and in cross section.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of a structure where the structural pipe members are interconnected with the second embodiment joint of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 13-13 in FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One illustrative and exemplary version of the first embodiment of the multi-directional construction joint 2 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. All versions of the connecting joint have, as their base, two intersecting mutually perpendicular rigid plates, seen in FIG. 1 and referred to with reference numerals 4 and 6. The periphery of the plates may take any shape from a circle to a polygon but the preferred form is a regular octagon, as seen in FIG. 1, or some section of an octagon, as seen in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. One or more cylindrical connecting studs 8 are fixedly mounted radially on the peripheral edge 7 of at least one of the plates 4 and 6. The studs 8 in FIGS. 1-4 are shown as tubular, however the studs may be in the form of solid dowels, as they are shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 5-7. For interconnecting the ends of a plurality of pipes 10, each stud 8 is arranged for insertion into the interior of a pipe that is a component of a structural framework, such as the one illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. Preferably, in all versions of the joint, the longitudinal axes 9 of the studs (or radii) lie within the plane of the base plate on which the stud is mounted and all of the radial longitudinal axes intersect at a center point 11.

The term “stud” is defined for purposes of this first embodiment of the inventive joint as a cylindrical dowel or tube having a length sufficient to establish a fixed connection with the base plate on which it is mounted and sufficient to establish purchase with the tubular member into which it is inserted or, in the case of a tube, as shown in FIG. 1, which is inserted in it. Although this form of the invention utilizes cylindrical dowels or tubes because the preferred form of structural members in the framework is cylindrical tubing or pipe it is to be understood that the structural members can be rectangular tubes or channels in which case the studs will have a corresponding shape in order to be snuggly mated with the structural member.

One of the many benefits and advantages of the structural joint of the present invention is its universality. As seen in FIG. 7, the framework 12 comprises a plurality of tubular pipes 10 that are interconnected by several different modifications of the joint 2, the particular form of the joint being dictated by the configuration of the pipes whose ends must be joined. The joint may connect pipes lying in the same, or first, plane that are either at 90° or 45° angles to each other or the joint may connect pipes lying in planes perpendicular to or at other angles to the first plane.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the joint 2 a interconnects planar pipes 10 that are at 90° and 45° angles to one another. As seen in more detail in Figures, 5, 5A and 5B, the plates 4 a and 6 a are modified octagons with plate 6 a having a 90° outside curved surface 15 to accommodate one corner of the framework 12. Connecting studs 8 a, 8 b and 8 c are mounted on the peripheral edges 18, 19 and 20 of the base plate 6 a. Only the pipe 10 that is connected to stud 8 a is shown in FIG. 5 and that pipe is typical of all pipes in the structure that are interconnected by the joint of the present invention, including the vertical pipes 22, 23 and 28 shown in FIG. 7. Stud 8 a is received within the hollow interior of the pipe 10, the terminal end of which contains diametrically opposed slots 29 in the peripheral edge of the pipe. The slots are adapted to snugly receive the peripheral edge 18 of the base plate 6 a which connection insures that the pipe will be plumb with the joint. As seen in FIG. 5A, the perpendicular intersecting plate 4 a is cut off beneath its intersection with the horizontal plate 6 a because there is no requirement for a lower connecting stud in this particular configuration of pipes. The upper half of the plate 4 a carries, on its peripheral edge, a connecting stud 8 d which is for the purpose of connecting a vertical pipe component 22 of the framework 12.

Referring again to FIG. 7, the connecting joint 2 b interconnects pipes 10 that are in longitudinal alignment with one another and also with pipes 10 that are disposed at 90° and 45° angles to the aligned pipes. The joint 2 b also interconnects the planar pipes 10 with a vertical pipe component 23. Although the joint 2 b is not detailed in another figure of the drawings, it is apparent from the illustration in FIG. 7 that the horizontally disposed plate 4 b is slightly more than half an octagon with its cut-off edge 25 positioned to be in alignment with the outside surface of the aligned pipes 10 to provide a smooth base for a wall covering. Five of the octagonal sides of the plate 4 b carry connecting studs 8 d and 8 e that interconnect the aligned pipes and studs 8 f, 8 g and 8 h that interconnect the 90° and 45° pipes 10 that are included in the structure.

FIGS. 7, 6 and 6A illustrate yet another version of the connecting joint. Utilizing a horizontal base plate 6 c and a perpendicular plate 4 c, the connecting joint 2 c interconnects two sets of horizontally positioned aligned pipes, one set being at a 45° angle with the second set. The intersecting vertical plate 4 c of the joint carries on its upper peripheral edge a connecting stud 8 n that interconnects a vertical pipe 28 with the other tubular pipes that make connection with the joint 2 c. If necessary, in the design of the truss or framework, another stud on an angled side of the vertical plate 4 c could connect a pipe having a 45° angle orientation to the plane of the plate 6 c.

Other configurations and forms of the connecting joint, as illustrated in FIG. 7, are, from the discussion of the generic version of FIGS. 1-4 and the discussion of the joint variations depicted in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, self-evident in their detailed construction and purpose.

Fixation of the connection between the studs and the structural pipes may be by a press fit or the fix may be enhanced with glue or other type of fastening device. In any case the connection joint and its multiple variations, as described above, enables unskilled personnel to efficiently and quickly assemble a stable structure having interior and exterior walls and a roof that are ready for covering with any number of different types of construction material. The joint of the present invention enables economic and rapid construction of emergency housing units following natural disasters and provides means for economical housing in under privileged countries of the world.

A second and preferred form of the structural joint is shown in FIGS. 9-13. Similar to the first embodiment, the preferred form has a base comprising two intersecting mutually perpendicular rigid plates 34 and 36, as seen in FIG. 10. The generic form of each plate is shown in FIG. 9, however it is understood that each of the plates 34 and 36 may be cut and shaped to fit the requirements of the structure, just as the base plates 4 and 6 of the first embodiment are shaped to conform to the structure, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.

The difference between the joints of the first and second embodiments is the configuration of the connecting studs. In the first embodiment the studs are shown to be cylindrical, that is, either tubular or solid, in the form of a dowel. In the preferred form, the connecting studs 40, 41, 42 and 43 are formed as a planar column radially projecting from the peripheral edge 44 of the plate and being co-planar with the plate and having a distal end portion and first and second lateral sides. The lateral aspect of the distal end 45 at the top of the stud forming column is sized and dimensioned to be equal to the inside diameter of the structural pipe 10 to which it is to be connected.

Among the eight connecting studs on each plate there are four different stud configurations. As will be explained in more detail subsequently, six of the studs contain transverse stabilizing wings 62 and 64. Two of the diametrically disposed studs 40 and 43 do not contain the transverse wings, however when the first plate 34 is interconnected to the second plate 36, by means of mating their respective radial slots 37, the complimentary studs 40 and 43 on the second plate form the equivalent of stabilizing wings for the studs 40 and 43 on the first plate, thus forming a cross that contacts four points on the inside surface of the pipe, as shown in FIG. 13.

In order to provide for 45 degree connections, four of the studs 41 project a greater distance from the center of the plate than do the studs 40, 42 and 43 and thus have a slightly different base configuration where the stud intersects the periphery of the plate.

As seen in FIG. 11, the terminal ends of the pipes that are connected to studs 40, 42 and 43 are seated on the peripheral edge 44 of the base plate 34. The terminal ends of the pipes that are connected to studs 41 are seated on ledges 49 on the lateral sides of the studs 41. Formed into the opposing lateral sides of each of the studs is a pair of locking latches, each one of which comprises a pivotal arm 51 and a hook 53. The arm 51 is integral with the plate and the stud and the thin dimension of the proximal end of the arm permits the arm to pivot about its proximal end, considering that the base plate is constructed of a plastic material that possesses elastic properties.

The structural pipe 10 that engages a connecting stud is provided with diametrically opposed holes 54 and 55 that are positioned in the pipe so as to respectively receive the hooks 53 of the locking latches. The pipes that engage the complimentary studs 40 and 43 are provided with four diametrically disposed holes 54 and 55 in order to receive the four hooks 53 of the combined complimentary studs 40 and 43. As the pipe 10 is being forced over the stud to make the connection, the terminal end of the pipe contacts the sloping upper surface 56 of the hook 53 and cams the hook into the cut-out 57. When the holes 54 and 55 in the pipe appear at the level of the depressed hooks 53 the spring biased hooks spring into the respective holes in the pipe, thus locking the pipe in position on the stud. The pipe 10 may be removed from the stud by depressing each of the latching hooks out of their respective holes 54 and 55 and pulling the pipe off of the connecting stud.

As mentioned earlier, in order to improve on the stability of the pipe connection, each of the studs may be provided with a pair of transverse wings 62 and 64 that are disposed perpendicular to and disposed on each side of the connecting studs 41 and 42. In cross section at the distal end of the stud, the stud and the wings form a Greek cross, that is, a cross where the upright and the transverse beams are of equal length, as shown in FIG. 11. The wings are laterally dimensioned to fit tightly into the inside of the pipe, creating a four point contact between the connecting stud and the pipe. A lip 65 is formed at the lower end of each wing so as to act as an additional support for the terminal end of the pipe connected to that stud.

Further stabilization of the joint structure is provided by a pair of spaced apart ribs 67 that project from the surface of plate 34. The spacing between the ribs is equal to the thickness of plate 36. When the two plates are interconnected, as shown in FIG. 10 the ribs 67 make close contact with the surface of plate 36 so that the plate will not tend to rotate about its central axis.

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing an example of the structure that can be created using the structural joint of the second and preferred embodiment. The obvious advantage of the second embodiment is that it requires no glue to secure the structural tubular members to the connecting joint and the structure may be disassembled without damaging or destroying the joints or the structural pipes. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A multi-directional structural joint including, a base member comprising intersecting perpendicular planar plates where each of the plates terminate in a peripheral edge, and a plurality of spaced apart cylindrical studs, each having a longitudinal axis, and mounted radially on the peripheral edge of at least one of the plates where the longitudinal axis of each stud is coplanar with the plate on which it is mounted.
 2. The joint of claim 1 where the longitudinal axes of antipodal studs are coincidental.
 3. The joint of claim 1 where the longitudinal axes of at least two of the studs are mutually perpendicular.
 4. The joint of claim 1 where the longitudinal axes of at least two of the studs are at 45° angles to one another.
 5. The joint of claim 1 where the longitudinal axes of the studs intersect at a point.
 6. The joint of claim 1 where the plates are polygonal in shape.
 7. The joint of claim 1 where the plates are in the form of regular octagons.
 8. A structural framework including, an interconnecting joint having a base member comprising intersecting perpendicular planar plates where each of the plates terminate in a peripheral edge, and a plurality of spaced apart connecting studs projecting radially from the peripheral edge of at least one of the plates, and at least one tubular structural component having an end portion adapted to receive a stud.
 9. A multi-directional structural joint including, a base member comprising intersecting perpendicular planar plates where the peripheral edges of the plates include a plurality of radially projecting connecting stubs for securing the terminal ends of tubular structural members, each of said stubs comprising, a pair of first level edges for contact with diametrically opposed sections of the terminal peripheral end of the tubular member, a column co-planar with the plate and radially projecting from the peripheral edge of the plate and having a distal end portion and first and second lateral sides and first and second facing sides, a latch disposed on each of the said first and second lateral sides, each latch having a pivotal stem and a hook for locking engagement with diametrically opposed apertures in the tubular member proximate its terminal end.
 10. The structural joint of claim 9 where the distal end portion of the column is sized and dimensioned to be equal to the inside diameter of the tubular structural member.
 11. The structural joint of claim 9 and further including; a pair of co-planar stiffening wings, having distal and proximal ends, and projecting transversely from the respective first and second facing sides of at least one of the stud columns, each wing having a projecting lip at the proximal end of the wing which is co-planar with the first level ledges, for contacting diametrically opposed sections of the terminal peripheral end of the tubular member.
 12. The structural joint of claim 11 where the lateral extension of the wings is equal to the inside diameter of the tubular structural member.
 13. A multi-directional structural joint including, a base member comprising at least one planar plate, where the peripheral edges of the plate include at least one radially projecting co-planar connector stud for securing the terminal end of a tubular structural member where each stud includes, first and second lateral sides, first and second facing sides, and a pair of pivotal locking latches, each disposed on one of the first and second lateral sides of the connector stud and adapted for locking engagement with diametrically disposed holes in the side walls of the tubular member proximate its terminal end.
 14. The structural joint of claim 13 and further including stabilizing means laterally projecting from the at least one connector stud for making contact with the inside surface of the tubular structural member.
 15. The structural joint of claim 14 where the stabilizing means includes wings transversely disposed on the first and second facing sides of the connector stud.
 16. The structural joint of claim 14 where the wings are disposed in a position perpendicular to the plane of the plate and each includes a projecting lip adapted for making contact with diametrically opposed sections of the peripheral edge of the end of the tubular member.
 17. A structural joint for interconnecting tubular structural members comprising, a base member having perpendicularly intersecting planar plates each of which terminate in a peripheral edge, and a plurality of spaced apart connecting studs projecting radially from the peripheral edge of at least one of the plates, each of said studs adapted to receive a terminal end of a tubular structural member. 